"Do New"

     I recently endured an insanely boring six hour bus ride from Oklahoma City to Kansas City.  Though six hours isn’t an eternity I am afflicted with an inability to sit still for long periods of time.  I began to unravel in about 37.5 minutes.  The only thing that kept me from doing forward rolls up and down the aisle was my bus driver’s endless string of impossibly loud and personal cell phone conversations. 

       Mile after excruciatingly boring mile I fidgeted in my seat and listened to Mr. Megaphone blabber on from one call to the other.  He chastised a friend in the throes of a tattered romance, reprimanded the guy who did a poor job of patching the church roof, and gushed about his three year old granddaughter’s promise to take care of him when he’s old. She says her parents are mean and Mr. Megaphone is not.  As we pulled into the Kansas City terminal he got a call from someone wanting suggestions on restaurants. Mr. Megaphone quickly rattled off a variety of spots but just as quickly bad-mouthed each one.  Finally he blurted out, “I just don’t like trying anything new!”  Loud and proud, he repeated himself over and over as if it were a badge of honor.  “I just don’t like trying anything new!”  

      I was surprised and then annoyed by his declaration.  I got to thinking about people I know who are equally as adamant about never trying new things.  They are crippled by their fear.  The moment the ‘Do New’ sign blinks on in their lives they bolt in the other direction.  I had to check myself awhile back when I realized that I had fallen into a complete and total rut.  Somewhere along the way my desire for adventure and new things had faded.  I had become stagnant and even surly at times. I poo-poo’d Facebook, bad-mouthed Twitter, snarled at Skype and in general refused to get a clue about many of the new and exciting things happening in technology.   “Who are you?” I finally asked myself. “More importantly what have you done with the incredibly cool chick who used to hang out in this body?”  

      I was in dire need of a ‘Do New’ makeover.  I chopped off my shoulder length locs, colored my hair, started working out, lost weight, got up to speed with the social network revolution and started this blog. All of which made me feel alive again and ushered refreshingly new experiences into my life.  My willingness to ‘Do New’ also reduced the dreaded possibility of my son calling me out as a hypocrite.  His Dad and I constantly encourage him to experience new people, places and things.  The child would have had a field day with me if I hadn’t gotten a clue. 

      So this brings me back to Mr. Megaphone.  I wonder what kind of role model he will be for his granddaughter.  Will, “I don’t like trying anything new,” become her mantra?  Or will somebody, perhaps her “mean” parents, encourage her to spread her wings and continually soar to new heights?  We owe it to ourselves and our kids to have the guts to step outside our box and explore the world around us, whether it’s trying new foods, traveling to new places, taking a new job or simply striking up a conversation with a stranger.  Not every experience will be ‘fan-tabu-lous.’  But when we are willing to push our limits and walk boldly into the blinking light of the ‘Do New’ sign we will surely enhance and broaden our horizons which, in my humble opinion, is always a good thing. I’m just saying.

Thank You Honey

       A few days ago I was holed up at my favorite writing table at Panera’s when I noticed a family of 8 hovering over a menu near the counter.  They spent some time patiently discussing their options before finally placing their order. Given the number of mouths to feed I was sure their goal was to spend wisely to make sure everyone left with a full tummy.  Because of my inquisitive nature, which my husband annoyingly describes as ear hustling, I couldn’t help overhearing a bit of their conversation with the waitress.  I learned they were passing through Missouri on their way back to Texas.

            The family sat near me and I was impressed with the manners and generally pleasant and easy going nature of the six kids who probably ranged in age from about six to 14 years old.  The two oldest kids got cups of water for their parents and siblings.  Then they helped the waitress bring the food to the table and the family enjoyed their meal along with good conversation and plenty of laughter.  When they were done each of the kids gave the waitress a hug of thanks and they said their good byes. Before they left the Dad, who it turns out is a bee keeper, also gave the waitress a small bottle of honey.

          Well, given her surprise and excitement at the unexpected gift, someone walking in may have assumed that this waitress had just hit some portion of a Powerball jackpot. She was a geyser of gratitude and flitted about the restaurant showing off her cute jar of honey to all of her co-workers.  I got tickled watching her.  One might think, “Geez lady it’s only a little jar of honey that came from a bunch of average honey bees.” But in reality she reacted just like the rest of us when we are suddenly tackled by a random act of kindness.  We get all gushy inside (whether we admit it or not) and are overwhelmed by a simple gesture that says “Thanks. I appreciate you.”  The gift was secondary to the family’s desire to show their genuine appreciation to someone who’d been kind to them.  Watching her beaming face and listening to her tell anyone who would listen about her special jar of honey actually made me feel good.  Heck, I suddenly had the urge to give someone a jar of honey or maybe a bag of chips to keep the happy vibe alive.  I still smile thinking about it.  It’s just proof positive that kindness is contagious.  It only takes a little honey to make somebody’s day.  I’m just saying.